Resident Elizabeth Davis, who attempted to present a petition against the guard program, but failed, said the town could be spending wiser by getting better equipment for teachers, offer more training and get radios for the police department.

CREC Communications / UGC

Michael Dorn, co-founder and Executive Director of SHI, presents to a group of professions during a three-day advanced safety and security training at the CREC Medical Professions and Teacher Preparation Academy in Windsor.

Michael Dorn, co-founder and Executive Director of SHI, presents to a group of professions during a three-day advanced safety and security training at the CREC Medical Professions and Teacher Preparation Academy in Windsor. (CREC Communications / UGC)

Gina Olearczyk, the parent of a student at St. Bernard's School in Enfield and a high school teacher in Suffield, said she favored the program because the armed guards help whenever they're working.

"They pick up on things with the students that teachers may not notice because they're focusing on their lessons and a million other things going on," Olearczyk said.

Resident Bob Tcatz said that other towns have turned down similar programs.

Resident Jeff Bemiss said he would rather see the school use the guard money for suicide prevention programs in the schools.

One teacher from Enrico Fermi, Lisa DeLorge, has two children in the school system and said she is against the armed guards. She said the school resource officers, who don't have guns, do a great job and that the money could be spent in better ways to prepare students and teachers.

One parent, LuAnn Lanzieri, said she supports the program because the officers have more training for emergencies than other workers.

Dorn's presentation focused on the importance of proper training, from school resource and security officers to administration, staff, teachers and students. He spent time in the two high schools and at John F. Kennedy Middle School Thursday speaking to students about the program, and will meet with parent-teacher organization members and school security officers Friday.

Following his two-day visit in the schools, Dorn will compile a study for the town council and board of education. The town council approved spending $795,000 on the armed guards program for 2014-15. The two-year pilot program is up for re-evaluation in December.